Dewatering



C. W. McARTHUB.

DEWATERING, CLASSIFYING, AND RABBLING APPARATUS FOR ORE PULP.APPLICATION FILED AUGJB, 19W

1,304,077. Patent/ad May 20, 1919.

2 SHETSSHEET 1.

INVEN TOR.

A TTORNEY.

C. W. McARTHUR.

DEWATERING, CLASSIFYING, AND RABBLINGAPPARATUS FOB ORE PULP.

memos man AUG. 26. 1918 1,304,077. Patented May 20, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mm I NVENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

"it NuRms amen: cmmuormumo" WASHIHQYON n. c.

M6 MIM%%M UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIo CYRUS MQARTHUR, OF DENVER,COLORADO.

pnwn'rnnme, CLASSIFYING, AND RABIBLING APPARATUSFOR ORE-PULP.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CYRUs W. MCARTHUR, acitizen of the United States of America, residing at the city and countyof Denver and State of Colorado, have invented a new and usefulDewatering, Classifying, and Babbling Apparatus for Ore-Pulp, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and improved dewatering, classifying andrabbling apparatusfor ore pulps, and the objects of myinvention are:

First: To provide a continuous feeding movement dewatering, classifyingand rabbling apparatus forore pulp, having a value carrying slimesproduct,

SecondzTo provide means by which ore pulp maybe .dewateredand its slimeproduct separated and saved and its heavier mineral particlesclassified. And

Third: To provide a simple, inexpensive and thoroughly practical orepulp dewatering, classifying and rabbling. apparatus that is inexpensiveto construct and that does not require a special foundation for itsinstallation and operation.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which I Figure .1 is a side elevation of an apparatusembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan vew, of. the apparatus; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view of the same. 7 7

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views. I

Referring to the drawings:

The numeral 1, designates a tank which may be constructed of anysuitable material. This tank is of rectangular shape and is preferablymadeseveral times longer than its width and is-adapted to hold the orepulp of finely crushed and pulverized ores that contain both slimes anda mineral product. The tank is supported upon cross bars 2, which aresecured to uprights 3, which rest upon sills 4. The uprights 3, restagainst the sides of the tank. The

discharge end of thetank is closed by a Specification of Letters Patent.

verticalend board 5, but the opposite end 6, of the tank is, closed byan inclined end board 7, and the end, 6, constitutes the-feed end ofthehopper, into which the ore pulp flows from a feed box 8.

The end board 7, inclines inwardly and downwardly from its outer end 9,to the bottom or floor portion 10, of the tank, which causes the orepulp flowing into the tank from the feedbox to flow into theadjacent'end andbottom of the tank. 1

Each of the opposite sides of the hopper is provided with a slimeslaunder 11. which is arranged to convey the slimesfrom the top of thetank to the outer end of the hopper, where a downward slimes dischargingspout 12. is formed to discharge the slimes. from the water line 13, ofthe pulp in the tank, as will be more fully described hereinafter. Asand discharge chute 11 is arranged to receivethe sand that is carriedover the upper edge of the end board. 5 of the tank, by scrapers to behereinafter described. 7 V J The struts or uprights 3, of the dischargeend of the tank aretallest, and the next two pairsof strutsareprogressively shorter, and all of these struts lie against the sides ofthe tank. To these struts are secured bars 14:, which. inclinedownwardly at a suitable angle from the discharge end of the tank, tothe feed end thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Alined bearings 15,are securedupon the upper end portions of the bars 14, and similarbearings 16, are secured upon the bars near their opposite ends. A shaft17, is mounted in the bearings 15, and a shaft 18, is mounted in thebearings 16. The sides of the tank are provided with vertical slots 19,to accommodate the shaft 18, and upon the outside face of each side ofthe tank and over the slot 19, is bolted a metal plate 20, and theseplates are provided with packing boxes 21, through which the outerportions of the shaft 18, pass, the boxes preventing leakage at'thepoint where the shaft passes through the sides of: the tank. Upon theshafts 17 and 18 are mounted sprocketwheels 22 and 23, respectively,which support a pair of end- Patente'd' May 20," 1919. l Applicationfiled August 26, 1918. Serial No.251,519.

less sprocket chains 24:, which are connected at regular intervals bytransverse flights or scrapers 25, in the form of angle bars, on: limbof which is secured to the sprocket chains, while the other limbprojects verti cally therefrom.

One end of the shaft 17, extends beyond the adjacent bearing 15, and hasrigidly mounted thereon a gear 26. A bar '27, is suitably supportedbeyond the gear 26, and is connected to the adjacent side struts 3,.bybolts 28, the bars 27, being spaced from the struts 3, by bars 29, asshown in Fig. 2.

A counter shaft 30, is mounted in bearings 31, one of which is securedupon the bar 27, and the other upon the adjacent side bar 14c, and apinion 32, is secured on this counter shaft to mesh with the gear 26. Abelt receiving pulley 33, is also mounted on this counter shaft andpower is transmitted from this pulley and pinion to the gear 26, and itsshaft 17, and to the sprocket chains 24:. The hubs of the sprocketwheels 22 and 23, are on one side of, or eccentric to, their axialcenters, and these eccentrically mounted sprocket wheels produce an evenrising and falling movement of the conveyer throughout its length, thispeculiar movement effecting exactly the same rise and fall of both endsof the conveyer and also throughout its length, at the same time and tothe same extent. This manner of mounting the sprocket wheels gives tothe peripheral surface of each wheel a throw movement as it rotates, thethrow of which is preferably about three inches, and when the chains aremounted on the wheels, the said wheels are turned so that the positionsof their highest points are exactly the same, as clearly shown in Fig.3, so that as they rotate they will impart the same rising and fallingmovement to each end, and as well to the entire length of the conveyer.

The bottom or floor 10*, of the tank inclines upwardly from the loweredge of the end board 9, to the sand discharging chute, and as theconveyer rotates, the flights'or scrapers on its under lap will engageand move the sand that has settled out of the ore pulp onto the floor,upward along the floor, to the discharge chute l1, and this floorinclines at a slightly less angle than the belt, so that its upper endis a little farther away from the lower lap of the belt than its lowersand receiving end.

Spacing tubes 34, define the distance between the side bars 14:, and thesaid bars are held against the ends of the tubes by bolts 35, which passthrough the bars and through the tubes.

The operation is as follows:

Ore pulp, which is finely pulverized ore and water mixed in suchproportions as to form a flowing stream, flows continuously from thefeed box into the feed end of the tank, and fills the tank up to thewater line 18, and the slimes produced, which is a floating productcarrying values, flows from the tank into the launders 11, anddischarges through the slimes discharge spout 12, from which they areconveyed to further treatment.

The finely pulverized gangue or sand product of the ore pulp settles tothe floor of the tank and is moved up its inclined surface into the sanddischarging chute 11 from which it discharges as a dewatered product,and it may be dried and carried to further treatment or may be allowedto run to waste. The intermittent upward and downward moving, endlessconveyer acts as a rabbler of the ore pulp as its flights engage andsink into the heavier sand and gangue products, and as its flights moveit upwardly they also have a lifting action on it that loosens it up inthe water and allows the slime product to separate from it and rise tothe surface of the water, from which it flows off and is saved, whilethe particles of mineral that are too heavy to float, settle, and insettling classify themselves in the sand in the order of their specificgravities. Consequently this continuously rabbling action of theapparatus constitutes a very valuable feature of my invention, and itdoes not in the least interfere with the continuous outward feeding anddewatering of the sand, which, after it is moved above the water in thetank, is very rapidly dewatered as the water runs out of it down theinclined bottom of the tank back into the ore pulp.

As the conveyer is lifted throughout its length once during eachrevolution of the sprocket wheels, the water carried forward by thescrapers with the sand is thereby given an opportunity to flow backwardafter the sand is raised above the water line, and thus the sanddischarged from the tank car ries a. much smaller percentage of waterthan would otherwise be the case. a

My invention shows a very simple and an entirely novel multiple movementdewatering, classifying and rabbling apparatus that is thoroughlypractical and inexpensive, and while I have illustrated and describedthe preferred construction and arrangement of my invention, I do notwish to be confined to it, as improvements and changes may be made in itwithout departing from the spirit of my invention.

hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: i

1. In an ore pulp dewatering, classifying and rabbling apparatus, thecombination of the tank, the endless "chain conveyer having an eccentricmovement adapted to impart an upward and downward and a reciprocatingmovement, and means for imparting a continuous traveling movement tosaid conveyer, said conveyer consisting of sprocket chains'spaced apredetermined distance apart in said tank and metal flights extendingtransversely across, between and secured to said chains, said sprocketchains being mounted on sprocket wheels mounted on shafts eccentricallytofltheirwaxial centers and arranged to move the conveyer through.-

out itslength upwardly and downwardly, or a rising and falling and atthe same time a reciprocating movement, and means for imparting acontinuous traveling movement to said conveyer.

2. A dewatering, classifying and rabbling apparatus for ore pulps,comprising a tank, an inclined endless traveling conveyer in said tanksupported on shafts at its opposite end portions and provided with sandmoving flights, eccentrlcs secured on sald shafts and arranged to giveto each conveyer an upward and a downward and a reciprocating movement,and arranged to feed the sand in said ore pulp from said tank, and aslimes overflow outlet on said tank.

3. In dewatering, classifying and rabbling apparatus, the combination ofan operating.

ore-pulp holding tank provided with an automatically operating floatingslimes overflow at one end and a sand discharging out let at itsopposite end, said sand overflow being positioned above said slimesoverflow, with a continuous traveling reciprocating movement endlessconveyer mounted in said tank at a downward incline from said sandoutlet an eccentric throw movement u and down and a continuous travelingmovement to said conveyer in said tank, said conveyer being supported onrotating shafts, eccentrics secured on said shafts and arranged toimpart to the opposite ends of said conveyer a simultaneous throw andreciprocating movement, and means for applying operative power to saidshafts and their eccentries and said conveyer to move and discharge thesaid sand from the sand outlet of said tank.

4. In a dewatering, classifying and rabbling apparatus, the combinationof an operative ore-pulp holding tank, with the continuous travelingreciprocating movement conveyer, provided with the eccentrically mountedsupports, suitable conveying members, and sand rabbling projectionssecured charging outlet above its I slimes overflow end, aninclinedfloor in the bottom of said tank extending downwardly from its. sanddischarging outlet toits slimes overflow end, a hopper on said tankhaving a downwardly inclined floor extending tothe bottom of the floorin said tank, and a downwardly extending eccentric throw reciprocatingendless sprocket chain conveyer provided with sand moving flightsarranged in said tank, and inclined to receive sand from the floor ofsaid hopper and carry it to and discharge it through said sanddischarging outlet and from said tank, the opposite ends of said endlessconveyer being mounted on eccentric sprocket wheels, said eccentricsprocket wheels being mounted on and secured to shafts, said eccentricsprocket wheels being positioned in the same relative throw relation toeach other on said shafts at opposite ends of said conveyer, said shaftsextending from said eccentric sprocket wheels beyond said tank, asupporting frame extending above the sand discharging end of said tankand beyond its opposite sides to the lower end of said conveyer, andprovided with boxes positioned to support said shafts, means includinggearing for rotatively driving the upper shaft, said lower shaftextending through said tank below its water line, and means includingstufling boxes on said lower shaft arranged to bear against the outsideof said tank for preventing leakage around said shaft.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with atank having an inclined bottom, of shafts, one of which is mounted inone end of said tank so as to be submerged, while the other is mountedabove the water line at the other end of said tank, sprocket wheels onsaid shafts whose hubs are eccentric to the axial center of saidsprocket wheels, endless chains connecting said sprocket wheels andtransverse scrapers connecting said chains, the highest points of thewheels being in the same direction, so

that the chains are raised throughout their lengths during each rotationof the wheels,

and means for rotating said wheels.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with aninclined tank, the sides of which are provided with vertical slots nearone end, of plates bolted over said slots having packing boxes thereon,a shaft extending through said packing boxes and adapted to be locatedbelow the water line of the tank, inclined bars along the sides of saidtank and bearings on said bars to receive the ends of said shaft, ashaft mounted in bearings on the opposite end portions of said barsabove the water line of the tank, sprocket wheels eccentrically mountedon said shafts, endless chains connecting said sprocket wheels, andtransverse scrapers connecting said chains, and

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 111 presence of two Witnesses.

CYRUS W. MOARTHUR.

means for rotating said chains, whereby heavy material settling in saidtank is carried forward and above the Water line of said tank, adischarge spout for said heavy material and launders for receiving suchmaterial as floats 0n the surface of the Water in said tank.

Witnesses: G. SARGENT ELLIOTT,

ELIZABETH SMITH.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Copies ofthis patent may be obtained for Washington, D. 0.

